The Member of Parliament for Walewale and former aide to ex-Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Dr. Tia Abdul-Kabiru Mahama, has voiced concerns over President John Dramani Mahama's recent ministerial appointments.

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In an interview with Starr FM on January 16, 2025, Dr. Mahama criticized the president's choices, particularly the nomination of regional ministers, calling them a sign of inadequate leadership.

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He argued that if President Mahama were truly focused on national priorities, his first move should have been to appoint a Minister of National Security to address the country's safety, followed by critical appointments in sectors like roads and transportation.

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“I think that the president is not even serious… How many days did he say he was going to use to appoint his ministers? Let’s even say that he has two weeks more and he’s giving us these ‘tot, tot’ appointments. If he was a serious president, mindful of national interest, he would have appointed a national security minister first.

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“Because your duty as a president is to safeguard the nation. He has given us about 10 regional ministers. What would the regional ministers do? What is happening in the region? Are the regional coordinating councils not able to manage affairs? You think that regional ministers are the most important?” he queried.

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He added, “You’ve left out the national security minister. You’ve left out issues about the Interior Ministry. You’ve not dealt with issues about roads and transportation. These are the real sectors that will drive the economy. You are going to talk about regional ministers, that doesn’t show seriousness.”

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It is noteworthy that President Mahama had previously disbanded the Ministry of National Security.

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In preparation for his swearing-in on January 4, 2025, the president established a six-member National Security Coordination Team to temporarily oversee national security functions until the appointment of permanent officials.

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On January 15, 2025, the president made critical appointments within the national security apparatus, including the appointment of former Chief of Staff Prosper Douglas Bani as National Security Advisor. Additionally, retired COP Nathan Kofi Boakye was named Director of Operations at the Presidency.

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Further appointments included Charles Kipo, an experienced figure in state investigations, as Director-General of the National Intelligence Bureau, and Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Abdul-Osman Razak, who was appointed National Security Coordinator.

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